Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-12-10


the brides parents came running in to see
what had happened.
After this episode all the lady guests went
into another room to see the trousseau, which
was laid out for their inspection. Many of
the dresses were very rich and handsome,
but l found it very tiresome being the
naussufere, or guest of the guests, which is q
title that confers much distinction, as these
people are very kind and wish to make a
stranger in a strange land feel welcome, but
sometimes the kindness grows burdensome,
it is SO officious. We had arrived at six
o'clock, and before the things were all ex-
amined the mother of the bride entered and
called us out to the larger room, tell
ing us that the table was spread
for the marriage feast and we must
come and look at it. We traversed
the long, cold sale to the supper-room,
which looked really very handsome, but it
was bitterly cold there being no appliances
for warming it, as there are neither stoves
nor fireplaces in Constantinople, the only
heat they have coming from tiny charcoal
fires in little copper braziers, called naangdss
On the table were three enormous fish, laid
on carved wooden platters. There were
fowls, cakes, dried fruits enormous quaint
ties of bread, and some fruit and cheese. The
hot dishes were to be served later.
From there we went to the parlor. where all
the company now had assembled to await
the arrival of the bridegroom and the priests,
four of whom were toperform the ceremony.
The bride was seated upon stool and her
tinsel veil arranged in such manner as to
completely hide her, and she looked like a
stack of straw. The rooms in all Oriental
houses have very little furniture, this inn
mense parlor having but one table and one
chair. There were divans all around the
walls covered with chintz, with many very
handsome cushions lying against the backs,
and in the middle of the room was foun-
tain which was handsomely carved. The
floor was covered with elegant Persian rugs,
and the ceiling fairly festooned with lamps,
which brought out clearly the rich
monesque decorations of the wall and
ceiling.
The bridegroom and his friends arrived
about nine, accompanied by his mother, who
was one of the most repulsive-looking
women ever saw; she looked like bird of
prey, and my friend said she made no secret
of her opinion that they were not giving
dowry enough for so handsome and we'll
connected a young man as her son.
All the guests arrived, but the priests
did not come. We waited and waited,
but still they did not arrive. Ten
o'clock, eleven. and yet they hadn't put in
an appearance. The father of the bride
went to see what had become of them, and
soon returned to say that they were at an
other wedding and would surely come soon.
So they served coffee and more sweetmeats,
and the gentlemen drank mastic to sharpen
their appettes and smoked cigarettes to re-
lieve the monotony.
wished myself at home, but finally set
tied back into the corner of the divan among
the cushions and have dim idea that 1 fell
asleep. Finally, at one o'clock, there was a
stir, and reused myself. A boy came and
said the priests were on the way and would
be there directly, and he spread piece Of
carpet in the middle of the room and retired
The guests did not seem to mind the delay,
but the poor bride, who sat immovable upon
her stool, received my pity.
AT last, at half-past one, the priests arrived
preceded by a crowd of boys bearing censers
and buzzing some sort of chant, but the dron-
ing sound was frightful The priests were
|
brocade and with jewels on the breastplate
The chief priest wore sort of mitre on his
head literally blazing with jewels. The car
pet laid by the boy was now covered by
one far more beautiful, having tassels of
pearls at each corner The chief priest
took his place on the centre of this and the
other three behind him. The brides father
took her hand and led her forward to the
bridegroom, and the two then stepped before
the priest. Two boys brought cushions of
velvet, on each of which was green wreath.
These wreaths were placed by the priest on
the bowed heads of the bride and groom.
Hers was kept in place by her tinsel veil.
but that of the unfortunate Haskar kept
sliding backward or forward all the time.
making him very uncomfortable.
| The bride was rather under the medium
height, and Haskar was very tall, and they
were obliged to stand with their foreheads
touching all the time, and the ceremony
lasted one hour. 1t was mostly in the Cath
Ole form, though with some important diff
ferences, as the Armenians have religion
themselves which follows the Catholic form
closely, but they do not recognize the Pope
| of Rome.
Inc boys SEEMED 10 take pleasure III
swinging their censers as near the heads of
the couple, when they knelt for final ben
ediction, las possible, while the priests chanted
with the boys, and they then rose and the
priests departed after having RECALLED them
selves alone in the supper-room.
The bride was then placed upon the same
chair and the bridegroom came forward with
a richly-trimmed cushion on which were his
presents-a watch and chain, diamond
brooch and necklace, pair of gold filagree
bracelets over four inches wide, studded with
rubies, and a silk purse filled with gold
Jewels are quite cheap in Turkey in COM
parison to the price of them in this country.
| After giving the jewels the bridegroom
took off the veil and handed it to his mother,
then placed the jewels on his bride with his
own hands, very awkwardly, and offered
her his hand, and everybody followed them
to the supper-room. 1t was full daylight
before they finished. for the Armenians are
very good eaters. After few congratulatory
speeches everybody vent home, first taking
one last cup of coffee. should think that
one such wedding would be enough to last
lifetime. OLIVE HARPER.
RESTING HIS BRAINS.
How a Noted Poet and Writer Finds